Are freestanding electric fireplaces with mantlepiece a bit naff?

[BooBooChicken]

We would love a fire but live in a house built without a chimney or fireplace. I was in Homebase yesterday and saw some of these things that you just plug in.

Do you think they actually put out any decent heat or are they largely decorative? Also, are they a bit cheesy?

Will try to post a link

Thanks

Oh, iam so rubbish on an ipad, i can't figure out how to link at the best of times...

I'm sure that you can have a flueless gas fire without having a chimney as long as the fire is going on an outside wall.

I didn't know that! Would that be a lot of work to install? We have had all new floors put down so i'm not sure about pulling them up to find gas pipes etc

I have one. To be honest I don't care if it's 'cheesy' or not but for what it's worth I had to correct all the estate agents we had round as they all put fitted gas fire. You really can't tell and everyone presumes it's gas.

It kicks plenty of heat out but no idea how economical it would be. It's like a fan heater. We use it very rarely in deepest darkest winter just to boost the heating. It probably gets used half a dozen times a year. It was purchased purely to be decorative.

www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=1656721/

Does this link work for an idea of what i saw at the shops?

Er, no! Bah!!!

Fanoftheinvisibleman, that is what i want to hear about it looking good as it wouldn't be our primary heat source

Oh and not naff - I had one a few houses ago and I loved it. I'm sure it's extortionate to run but hey! Saying that I love my hole in the wall gas fire too.

I think i may bite the bullet and buy one, take it home and try it in situ. I will check that i can return it if it doesn't look right.

Do you need to take off the skirting board behind so it sits flush to the wall?

We did. It wasn't such a problem for us as we got it at the same time as having the room replastered with new skirting, architraves, doors etc.

You got the link sussed yet?

I couldn't give a rat's ass if it is considered naff. I like the way it looks in my livingroom and the heat it gives out is lovely.

If you like it, you buy it

Just spotted the bio ethanol fires - I like those

I wish I hadn't started looking because I like these

Oooh, nice...

www.fireplaceworld.co.uk/package/2770/Montreal-Ivory-Suite-with-Nevada-Electric-Fire#.UHXWVZG9KSM

Let me try another link..

And some you could literally hang and go! I just need to move house now because I NEED one of these!

Ok, so maybe not exactly this, but something like it.

Hang and go, i like it!

I like it - not sure about how it would sit in front of the skirting board

My parents in law have one. It is a teeny bit naff, as it has artificial "flickering" flames, but yes it does improve the look of their room and it does look more cosy. There is a small gap though between it and the wall due to the skirting board. I have seen some that look more realistic that hang on the wall that might look less cheesy maybe? www.direct-fireplaces.com/c/229414/1/wall-mounted-electric-fires.html?gclid=CNy3682k97ICFebLtAodUXQArg

sorry here

That's very similar to mine BooBoo except my surround and hearth are chocolate brown.

I agree - wall mounted look better

I think if we got one we would take off the skirting board behind. I do like the wall hung ones but part of me misses a manltlepiece!

Teenyweeny, if we can cosy up the room, and not make the tv the focal point i can take a bit of flickering false flame i think!

Thanks all for your advice